News
Vagina Monologues returns to raise money for women in Congo
News Reporter
kbaka967@uwsp.edu
The Women’s Resource Center will again be putting on the Vagina Monologues on April 2, 4 and 5, at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point, raising awareness and money to be used both globally and locally.
“The Vagina Monologues is a series of monologues based on Eve Ensler’s ‘Vagina Interviews,’” said Jenn Boyd, volunteer coordinator for the WRC.
Ensler interviewed hundreds of women and wrote the monologues to tell their stories. Each year she rotates in a new one to be performed, based on a current issue.
“[They consist of experiences] with men, with their own sexuality and with being a woman in today’s world,” said Boyd.
The WRC puts on the performance every year as part of their efforts to raise awareness about issues affecting women on the UW-SP campus. This is the fourth year that Boyd has been involved in the monologues.
“It is a great way to raise awareness about violence against women, as well as raise money to help those who are affected by violence,” said Boyd.
The V-day campaign is receiving 10 percent of the show’s proceeds. The campaign was inspired by the Vagina Monologues. Boyd said it is “a global movement to stop violence against women and girls.”
According to their Web site, the “V” in “V-Day” stands for “Victory, Valentine and Vagina.” This year, V-Day is using the money raised by performances of the monologues to call for an end to brutality toward women in the Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo.
The remainder of the money will go to Sexual Assault Victim Services in Stevens Point. SAVS provides support, medical and court accompaniment and resource information to those who have been victimized by sexual violence.
The WRC also has been selling chocolate vagina pops in the concourse of the Dreyfus University Center, which also provides financial support to SAVS. They will be sold at the performance as well.
“It’s a really fantastic, life-changing show,” said Boyd. “It makes you think about women, sexuality and all the issues affecting both in a completely new way.”
According to the official Web site of the Vagina Monologues, they are “based on interviews with over 200 women about their memories and experiences of sexuality, The Vagina Monologues gives voice to women’s deepest fantasies and fears, guaranteeing that no one who reads it will ever look at a woman’s body, or think of sex, in quite the same way again.”
The Vagina Monologues will be performed at 7 p.m. on April 2, 4 and 5. Tickets are $10, but $5 for students with ID. They are on sale now at the Information and Ticket Center.
The WRC is located in 065 DUC. They put on events to raise awareness and empower both women and men.
“We work to make sure that everyone is equal and respected at UW-SP and in the community at large,” said Boyd.
Upcoming events with the WRC include Take Back the Night and the “Get Out of the Kitchen” cook-off just before finals.
